I'm interested in converting a Ruger #1 to a 500NE, or one of the other .50 calibers from SSK, like .50x3.25" or Peacekeeper (if that's possible).

First, is this a good choice of rifle to try it with? Truthfully, I chose this rifle because I love its looks being a falling block, and I don't have thousands to spend on this conversion.

I have never done any sort of conversion like this. Can anyone tell me what is involved to do this, and what I would be looking at cost-wise on the action work? I'm trying to do it as cost effectively as I can.

Also, are there any preferred barrel makers I should contact? I want to keep the same general look of the #1 with sights and barrel, but I will be adding a bit of lead stock weight and probably a recoil reduction system in the butt.

Lastly, I'm just getting ready to buy the #1, I wanted to purchase it in 458 Lott so that I can have something big to shoot before the conversion, but, will it make a difference what caliber I order it in to begin with for the conversion?

Just trying to get an idea of what I will be looking at.

Thanks a lot,
Matt

Gary Reeder

reedercustomguns.com

Matt,

Are you planning on doing the work yourself? Have you ever done anything like this before?

Get the Lott, and see whether that doesn't provide all the recoil you can handle before converting to a .500.

George

I have not done anything like this before. I can have a gunsmith friend possibly do the work if he has the time. I did not plan on spending an additional $1500+ like at Reederguns and I won't. I simply have too many other firearm projects to spend that much on this build. I was hoping to spend no more than an additional $700 or so, as I was told that this is easily possible to do for that much.

I just need to know what is actually required, and if there are any other places that could do it without all the fancy engraving that brings the price up.

I just want the action work, and then I can have the barrel made somewhere else more cheaply.

Thanks again.

Might check with eabco.

The expense is going to be in having the new barrel made and fitted, There isn't a whole lot of work that would need be done to the receiver end of things. Pretty simple design. Trigger can take a little improvement but even factory they aren't bad.

As to doing it on the cheap, I don't understand why you would want to get overly concerned about that if you intend to keep it. If you end up having it re-done later or not liking the rifle you'll be out the money twice.

I built one in 45-120, and one in .500 Nitro Express 3" and both were a rebarrel job. I did an octagon barrel on
the 45-120, 1 1/8" barrel tapered over 32" to an even inch. Have you looked at JD Jones at SSK? They go all the way to .577 or even .600NE IIRC. This is a straightforward conversion, cost should be about $200-250 plus a barrel, and renting the reamer.

Rich
DRSS Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
I built one in 45-120, and one in .500 Nitro Express 3" and both were a rebarrel job. I did an octagon barrel on
the 45-120, 1 1/8" barrel tapered over 32" to an even inch. Have you looked at JD Jones at SSK? They go all the way to .577 or even .600NE IIRC. This is a straightforward conversion, cost should be about $200-250 plus a barrel, and renting the reamer.

Rich
DRSS Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

Rich,
I have one of JD's conversions in 600JDJ which is just a 577 Nitro blown out to 620 cal. I don't know what they charge for their 50 cal conversions, but if I remember right, I think my 600 ran around $3k. I furnished the rifle which for the 600's needs to be the Tropical version due to barrel/ handguard fit. I don't know if this is true for the sub-calibers

Might be interesting in jeffeosso's 550E boomer. It would definitely have enough energy to kill most things.

(Jaw drops at Overkill's photo)

That is beautiful Overkill. That is my dream rifle right there. I love that barrel and brake.

And you just burst my bubble telling me the price. I just don't have that much extra mula to do it with right now.

What exactly did they do to yours? How much would the barrel off of that gun alone cost, if I was to have the other work done later? By other work, I mean stock recoil reduction and scope mount mainly from what I see.

By the way, how does that stock handle recoil? Doe it still bite pretty good?

quote:

Originally posted by M_Marshall:
(Jaw drops at Overkill's photo)

That is beautiful Overkill. That is my dream rifle right there. I love that barrel and brake.

And you just burst my bubble telling me the price. I just don't have that much extra mula to do it with right now.

What exactly did they do to yours? How much would the barrel off of that gun alone cost, if I was to have the other work done later? By other work, I mean stock recoil reduction and scope mount mainly from what I see.

By the way, how does that stock handle recoil? Doe it still bite pretty good?

I think that Krieger barrel was around $1500-2000k alone. If I did it again, I don't know if I would get the hyda-coil pad system. JD highly recomends them to keep the stock from splitting which it probably does. But I think I would put and extra-thick Limbsaver or Decelerator on instead. When I was working up heavy loads, 1040grns & 900's, I ruptured the cylinder & they replaced it, probably because I had it turned up to too much restance. If you really push that #1 it will take your breathe away in recoil. The bolt recoils much less. JD recommends keeping the 900's down around 1850+. He's probably right with the Ruger. The scope mount is the factory original from Ruger so that parts easy. I would also make them turn the brake up-down instead of side-to-side to keep noise down. The bolt from AHR is top-bottom vented and is much quieter and just as effective. But overall I love that Ruger conversion. I now shoot mostly cast bullets @ 1500fps through it for fun and light hunting. This was the first 600 I killed with. 1 Spanish ram & 2 wild boar. As Rob states above, that 900gr Woodleigh, when stopped or expanded through a soft target is just amazing the destuction. I literally blew a fist size hole through the side of that ram blowing half the entrails out the hole and out on the ground. It was a Texas Heart shot. The picture of the expanded bullet w/ the live round above is that bullet. It stopped in the upper neck and weighed 893grs. It looked like that ram swallowed a grenade internally. When people say "it doesn't matter what you hit them with but only where you hit them". That's not true w/ these 600's. You can miss a little in a spectacular way :-).

if you got the "jonezzz" that bad, but not a ton of $$$, PM me and I'll ask my gunsmith for some numbers. Is a .577 enough, or do you need the .600? If you check the posts on the .577, it can be done for well under $1000, and a rifle. The Krieger .577" barrel is about $340, and the reamers will be here. If my .550 Gibbs Magnum is sufficient, Hornady stocks dies. There is a 1010gr bullet mould from NEI for the .577 and an 881 grainer for the 550. Yesterday I shot my bolt action 550 Gibbs Magnum to 2400fps with a 600gr jacketed soft point. 130gr of H335, and there is another 200to 300 fps there with the "light" bullet. 750 grainers at over 200fps.
Also PM Ed Hubel about his monsters, they would fit a Ruger #1 pretty easy. He's knocking on the door of 9,000ft/lbs of ME.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

and i have the 550 flanged chamber reamer, go/nogo, and die reamers, which is a 577/500 improved and blown out to .550, then trimmed to 3" about 185gr of H2O .. i generally load it to 700gr at 2050fps or so...

This round is classified by the ATF as a sporting round, work is already done. We asked for and received sporting round designation, rather than DD exception, for the 550 magnum, express, and flanged. paperwork is DONE for the round.

jeffe

oh, yeah.. here's the drawing

600OK- I love that #1 !

I had a 500 ne built up a few years ago, if you do a search on this site you should pick up a few pics and details.
It weighs a mere 7.5lbs and is a honey to carry over long distances.
Shoot into an inch @ 50m with express sights, and I have filled the stock bolt hole with high density foam plugs on either side and the balance is filled with #9 shot and pachmayr de-celerator pad.
I have fired around 250 rounds with it and have no hassles to date.
570gr @ 2180fps.

Greetings Gents from another big bore lover. I also love my many Ruger # 1's. Please look at the PACNOR Barrels web site for superb big bore barrels at a reasonable price, and they will do work on Rugers #1 and#3. They do all the really fun big stuff! Cheers

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
600OK- I love that #1 !

Thanks Buglemintoday----it's a fun gun to shoot